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Absolut "Transform Today" (2013) 1:35 (Canada)

The world is yours to transform. This integrated global campaign just broke from Sid Lee. I believe it's their first big work for the brand since winning the global business a year or so ago.

The spot features four people: Yiqing Yin, who is, according to Absolut's website, "a sculptural couturier, folds and flows instinctively to create lines that are transforming the traditions of haute couture." Woodkid, an artist/director/musician/ "constantly transforming into whomever and whatever he wants to create." Aaron Koblin, a "digital media artist, innovator and rule-breaker." And last but not least, Rafael Grampa a "graphic novel creator," who "transforms his daring imagination into award-winning epic stories."

Jonas Tåhlin, Absolut's vice president global marketing had this to say about the new campaign:

"Transform Today is a call to arms—a rallying cry for a generation of creativity to break free from the idea that anything is predetermined and to take control of their future. The brand ethos manifests our belief that tomorrow is not a given, it’s for everyone to create.”

So four people get to transform today, whatever that means. Why should I give a shit about a comic book author, sorry graphic novelist or fashion designer, multi-media artist or digital artists' stories when I don't know who they are? And what does any of it have to do with me? And finally, what does it have to do with Absolut, beyond borrowed interest?

So, Absolut is borrowing interest from artists as they always do. Except instead of Andy Warhol painting the iconic bottle, we get a hipster video of creators being creative in a commercial that could have been for anything.

I guess you also got the feeling that the street art Absolut bottle so clearly digitally added later came to fruition when they realized there's no branding at all in this ad. They could have been drinking water or gin at their respective launch parties.